CHAPTER 355
SB 404-FN - FINAL VERSION
02/15/2024 0566s
04/05/2024 1344s
2May2024... 1571h
23May2024... 1921h
06/13/2024 2352EBA
2024 SESSION
24-2970
05/08
SENATE BILL 404-FN
AN ACT relative to expanding child care professionals' eligibility for the child care scholarship program.
SPONSORS: Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Rep. McMahon, Rock. 17; Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Rep. Simpson, Rock. 33; Rep. Wallner, Merr. 19
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a child care workforce assistance project, the purpose of which is to temporarily expand eligibility for the child care scholarship program to certain child care employees. The bill makes an appropriation to the department of health and human services for this purpose.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/15/2024 0566s
04/05/2024 1344s
2May2024... 1571h
23May2024... 1921h
06/13/2024 2352EBA 24-2970
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to expanding child care professionals' eligibility for the child care scholarship program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
355:1 Department of Health and Human Services; Child Care Workforce Assistance Project.
I. The department of health and human services, division of economic stability, shall develop and implement a child care workforce assistance project to expand child care professionals' eligibility for the child care scholarship program. The duration of the project shall be from January 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025.
II. For purposes of the child care assistance project, child care centers that have participating, eligible staff shall, with the consent of the individual staff person, provide information to the department as requested regarding recruitment and retention impacts of the project.
III. The department shall use the information provided in accordance with paragraph II to make the determination as to whether the child care assistance project delivers the intended value as a recruitment and retention strategy for child care providers. This requirement shall not be construed as authorization to report personally identifiable information of the project participants.
IV. Households with an income equal to or less than the median income for the geographic area in which they reside, with at least one verified New Hampshire child care professional employed at a qualified child care center, may automatically be eligible for the child care assistance project, provided the following provisions are met:
(a) Each child in the household meets the same eligibility requirements of the current federal Child Care Scholarship program, specifically that each child shall be:
(1) A resident of New Hampshire;
(2) A U.S. citizen or qualified immigrant;
(3) Thirteen years of age or under at the time of application or recertification; or through 17 years of age for children with disabilities who are enrolled before the age of 13; and
(4) Any other federal eligibility criteria.
(b) Each eligible child resides with a verified New Hampshire child care professional. A verified New Hampshire child care professional means an individual who:
(1) Is a resident of New Hampshire;
(2) Is employed by a certified child care center and works a minimum of 25 hours per week; and
(3) Whose employment and eligibility are verified by the certified child care center at which the child care professional is employed.
(c) A certified child care center is a New Hampshire based, licensed child care center, licensed home child care center, or licensed-exempt center, that is registered and enrolled to accept child care scholarships with the state of New Hampshire.
(1) A family shall not be eligible if care is provided by a provider not licensed according to child-care center licensure rules; or registered and enrolled according to requirements for registered child care providers in the child care assistance program.
(2) A family shall not be eligible if care is provided in a home child care by: a parent or stepparent; a legal guardian; or a person living in the same residence as the child in need of care.
(d) A household that meets the requirements outlined in this paragraph shall have eligibility determined for the federally-funded child care scholarship program under the eligibility rules for the child care workforce assistance project. If the household does not meet the eligibility requirements of this paragraph, it shall be deemed ineligible for such assistance.
(e) Households eligible for the child care assistance project qualify for the child care scholarship benefit available according to the most current market rate survey for family size, child age, type of program and service level subject to the same cost share as families eligible for the child care scholarship program.
(f) Upon implementation, the department of health and human services shall develop and engage child care providers and/or staff on verification process for project eligibility and develop a public awareness campaign to support broad access.
V. The department may contract with a private entity to administer and manage the child care workforce assistance project established pursuant to this section.
VI. On or before November 1, 2025, the department shall provide a detailed report of the child care workforce assistance project to the house health and human services oversight committee and senate health and human services committee of the general court. The report shall include the following information:
(a) The number of individuals qualifying for existing childcare scholarship.
(b) The number of individuals who will be added as a result of the project.
(c) Any needed technology or other adjustments to implement the project.
(d) The suggested funding level going forward, should the project continue beyond its scheduled end date.
(e) Any other relevant information regarding the project.
355:2 Department of Health and Human Services; Waiver Request. The department of health and human services shall submit any waiver or request required by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care to use New Hampshire's Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) funds for the purpose of administering the child care workforce assistance project established in section 1 of this act.
355:3 Appropriation; Child Care Workforce Assistance Project.
I. The sum of $1,000,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2025, is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of issuing benefits under the child care workforce assistance project established by this act.
II. The sum of $100,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2025, is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of administering the child care workforce assistance project established by this act.
III. The governor shall first utilize any available federal funds, and any remainder shall be general funds. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for the general fund share of said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
355:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
Approved: August 02, 2024
Effective Date: January 01, 2025
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Feb. 8, 2024 | 2024-0566s |
| March 27, 2024 | 2024-1344s |
| April 24, 2024 | 2024-1571h |
| May 16, 2024 | 2024-1921h |
| July 10, 2024 | 2024-2352EBA |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 3, 2024 | Senate | Hearing |
| Feb. 15, 2024 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| Feb. 15, 2024 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| April 4, 2024 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| April 17, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| April 17, 2024 | House | Hearing |
| April 17, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| April 24, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| April 24, 2024 | House | Floor Vote |
| May 14, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| May 15, 2024 | House | Floor Vote |
Aug. 7, 2024: Signed by the Governor on 08/02/2024; Chapter 355; Effective 01/01/2025
Aug. 7, 2024: Signed by the Governor on 08/02/2024; Chapter 355; Effective 01/01/2025
July 18, 2024: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/13/2024); SJ 18
July 23, 2024: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/13/2024 HJ 16 P. 56
July 18, 2024: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/13/2024); SJ 18
July 10, 2024: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2024-2352e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/13/2024); SJ 18
July 23, 2024: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/13/2024 HJ 16
July 18, 2024: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/13/2024); SJ 18
July 23, 2024: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2024-2352e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/13/2024 HJ 16 P. 51
July 10, 2024: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2024-2352e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/13/2024); SJ 18
May 30, 2024: Sen. Birdsell Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/30/2024; SJ 16
May 23, 2024: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-1921h: MA VV 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 73
May 23, 2024: Amendment # 2024-1921h: AA VV 05/23/2024 HJ 14 P. 73
May 16, 2024: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1921h 05/15/2024 (Vote 23-1; RC) HC 20 P. 19
May 8, 2024: Executive Session: 05/14/2024 01:00 pm LOB 210-211
May 2, 2024: Division III Work Session: 05/10/2024 10:00 am LOB 210-211
May 2, 2024: Division III Work Session: 05/07/2024 10:00 am LOB 210-211
May 2, 2024: Referred to Finance 05/02/2024 HJ 12 P. 21
May 2, 2024: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-1571h: MA VV 05/02/2024 HJ 12 P. 20
May 2, 2024: Amendment # 2024-1571h (NT): AA VV 05/02/2024 HJ 12 P. 19
April 24, 2024: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1571h 04/24/2024 (Vote 10-0; CC) HC 17 P. 13
April 17, 2024: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 04/24/2024 10:00 am LOB 104
April 11, 2024: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 04/17/2024 10:15 am LOB 104
April 11, 2024: Public Hearing: 04/17/2024 10:00 am LOB 104
April 11, 2024: Executive Session: 04/17/2024 10:15 am LOB 104
April 11, 2024: Introduced (in recess of) 03/28/2024 and referred to Special Committee on Childcare HJ 10 P. 228
April 5, 2024: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-1344s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/05/2024; SJ 8
April 5, 2024: Committee Amendment # 2024-1344s, RC 13Y-11N, AA; 04/05/2024; SJ 8
March 27, 2024: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-1344s, 04/05/2024, Vote 6-0; SC 13
Feb. 15, 2024: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2024-0566s, MA, VV; Refer to Finance Rule 4-5; 02/15/2024; SJ 4
Feb. 15, 2024: Committee Amendment # 2024-0566s, AA, VV; 02/15/2024; SJ 4
Feb. 9, 2024: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2024-0566s, 02/15/2024; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 7
Feb. 8, 2024: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2024-0566s, 02/15/2024; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 7
Dec. 15, 2023: Hearing: 01/03/2024, Room 101, LOB, 01:00 pm; SC 49
Dec. 12, 2023: To Be Introduced 01/03/2024 and Referred to Health and Human Services; SJ 1